WASHINGTON: The Obama Administration Thursday supported India’s move to submit the list of its 50 most wanted fugitives to Pakistan, saying this is part of the on-going dialogue between the two neighbours.

US supports India’s list of 50 most wanted fugitives

WASHINGTON: The Obama Administration Thursday supported India’s move to submit the list of its 50 most wanted fugitives to Pakistan, saying this is part of the on-going dialogue between the two neighbours.

“I think submitting this list is part of this dialogue that they have ongoing between their Home Secretaries about steps that Pakistan can take to again reduce the threat from Pakistan-based terrorists against India. Obviously we support that. We haven’t really coordinated on that list itself, though,” Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Mr Robert Blake said.
Lauding India’s decision to hold talks with Pakistan, he said, “One of the important decisions that the Indians made earlier this year was to re-engage on this full comprehensive dialogue that they’re now engaged on. Even though the Pakistanis had not fully resolved many of the Indians’ concerns.”
“Their two conditions that they had established previously were that those who had been responsible for the Mumbai bombings had to be brought to justice and the trials had to be completed; and then that there had to be visible progress by the Pakistanis to stop cross-border infiltration,” Mr Blake said.
“I think the Pakistanis have made some efforts in that regard, but the Indians would be the first to tell you that they haven’t fulfilled all of what the Indians were hoping for. But nonetheless, the Indians understood that they have, like the United States, a strategic interest in helping to stabilise Pakistan,” he said.
Mr Blake said the separatist movement in Pakistan’s Balochistan province is fuelled by the country’s domestic policies and not India. “I don’t think that the existence of a terrorist or a separatist movement in Balochistan is fuelled by Indian financing or anything like that. I think it’s fuelled by domestic issues that are internal to Pakistan.” Pakistan has repeatedly accused India of supporting the rebels in Balochistan in order to destabilise the country. India, however, has categorically denied the allegations.